The present evolution of data-communication is such that more and more users gain access to the internet worldwide. Internet has become both a source of knowledge but also a market place for business, and it is attracting more and more users. Currently there is a high pressure on the data-communications industry to provide solutions that allow everyone to gain access to the internet. Broadband solutions are continuously developed and both local as well as national access networks are planned and launched. The presently most common method of modem access through the telecommunications network (e.g., the Public Switched Telecommunication Network, PSTN provider) is being replaced by other ways of access, with a possibility to higher data rates, e.g., through electric power lines or cable TV.
At the same time, the telecommunications industry is struggling another battle, that of providing mobility to each and every user. Traditionally, telecommunication has been focused on voice communication. With the increase of data communication however, other demands are arising (e.g., higher data rate transfer), but also new possibilities. Evolutions of mobile systems are presently in a period when more and more packet-based systems will be deployed.
The data-communication run over the telecommunications networks today is usually initiated by an access to an Internet- or a mail server. A user can dial a modem pool and is therefrom connected to a server, from which access can be made to both local as well as global networks. Browsers like e.g., Microsoft Explorer or Netscape Navigator are used to navigate on the internet and switch between internet pages or addresses. Users can design their own data objects, homepages, on an internal or external network that provides personal information or any other kind of information. Once connected to the data network a user may access these data objects by entering the correct address. The address is often selected by combining a node name in the network (e.g. server name) and an arbitrary text-string. Typically, it is not trivial to find a desired data object, since the text strings and server names are not obvious.
Addressing in a telecommunications network, e.g., when engaging in a voice or data communication is usually performed by entering a telephone number on a User Equipment (UE), like a mobile telephone or a terminal with a facsimile functionality. A telephone number is a, world-wide, unique addressing string. A calling party (A-party) dials the addressing string (B-number) to the called party (B-party). Dependent on what type of network the A-party is a subscriber on, the call request is routed through one or several public telecommunication networks to the correct addressee and the communication may begin. Other unique addressing strings are for example email addresses, IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and sip (session initiation protocol) addresses.
There has lately been a merger between the data object handling of the internet and the simplicity of use of telecommunication networks. This has evolved partly because there is a problem in the present way of accessing the internet for specific data objects due to the non-obvious way of addressing data objects, and partly by a desire of the telecommunications industry to provide a simpler way of accessing data objects from telecommunication terminals than having to dial a modem number where the user is left on her own to retrieve a desired homepage or data object. This merger has resulted in systems where an A-party can retrieve data objects, also called phonepages, by the use of a simple unique identifier of a B-party, such as a dialed B-party number, an internet address such as an email address, an IPv4 address, a sip address, or an IPv6 address. The systems that accomplish this simple data retrieval have either network functionality or terminal functionality for the data object retrieval. Unfortunately these systems are not compatible.